No really zen, the art of motorcycle maintenanceRaymond, a total Robert Pirsig fan, declared April 29th official World Motorbike Cleaning Day.

Obviously, with the current budget restrictions, WMCD needs to be an efficolonomical affair which, thank goodness, it is totally cool these days. The proof of the pudding is that the very macho French Moto Magazine is going seriously green!

Raymond was flabbergasted when he read their article on how to clean his beloved Harley without polluting and with a minimal amount of water. Imagine the horror when he found out that his consumption per wash averaged between 100 and 150 litres! And to top it all, his favourite soft olive-oil soap, an eco-friendly formula that removes dirt, grease and insects with little or no scrubbing, didn’t stop him from damaging the environment. How come? Alas poor Raymond, the dirt washed off his Fat Boy isn’t eco-friendly. After this shattering news, eco-conscious Raymond realized the errors of his ways and changed his bike-care routine. No more concrete grounds for the task. He now parks his beloved Fat Boy on permeable ground – i.e. gravel or the lawn or dirt. Microbes living in these surfaces act as natural filters, breaking down some of the nasty compounds in the washing water and preventing them from running into the nearest storm drain. He also stands his bike on old cardboard to filter grease and oils.

Having said this, private people are not the worst water consumers and polluters. Intensive agriculture and industry are the biggest culprits.

Beware: When cleaning your bike or your tools with an eco-friendly cleaner, used waters cannot be thrown in the sewers. They must be collected into empty bottles or boxes, properly closed and identified, and taken a household waste facility in your container park.